Seahawks trade for Quenton Nelson, push Zabel to right guard

The Seattle Seahawks traded for veteran left guard Quenton Nelson on Tuesday. The move followed a decisive victory over the Kansas City Chiefs just 48 hours earlier.

Seattle acquired Nelson from the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick. The trade is pending a physical exam. General Manager John Schneider made the move to strengthen an offensive line that allowed 10 sacks to Sam Darnold in the team's last two losses.

Nelson will likely play left guard, the position he has held since his collegiate career at Notre Dame. This placement will shift first-round pick Grey Zabel to right guard. Zabel played approximately half of his 41 starts at North Dakota State on the right side. Anthony Bradford, who recently returned from injury, will move to the bench as a backup. Zabel can also play center, providing Seattle with additional depth options.

The acquisition aims to stabilize the run game for a backfield currently dealing with injuries to Zach Charbonnet and Jadarian Price. Nelson has earned eight consecutive Pro Bowl selections. He is 30 years old and is in the final season of a four-year, $80 million contract. Over the Cap projects that Seattle will have five compensatory picks in the 2027 draft and a third-rounder in 2028, offsetting the cost of the trade picks.

The Seahawks sit 2.5 games behind the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West. Seattle lost the head-to-head matchup in a 32-29 game at Lumen Field on October 11. The team is 4-3 on the season. Quarterback Sam Darnold has thrown eight interceptions and eight touchdowns this year. He has committed at least one turnover in five straight games.

The 49ers dropped their first game of the season on Sunday. However, they retain a lead in the division standings. The Seahawks have one more regular-season game against San Francisco on their schedule. Seattle's defense held the Chiefs to 213 yards in Sunday's win, the lowest total for a regular-season start by Patrick Mahomes.

Fullback Brady Russell addressed the team's changing identity following the 4-3 start. He said, "So many people are doubting that we're the team that we were last year. And we aren't the team that we were last year. We're the 2026 Seahawks."